Metal Bugs
Metal Bugs were a diminutive Metal Head subspecies, featured only in Daxter. They comprised the main enemies of the game, and were led by Metal Kaeden, who was under the control and direction of Metal Head leader Metal Kor. The Metal Bugs were the object of the initial plan to invade Haven City but ultimately failed due to the death of Kaeden by Daxter. This prompted Kor to invade Haven City himself, leading to the events of Jak II shortly afterward. Similar to the Metal Heads, the Metal Bugs have no unifying creature form, but instead come in a vast variety of types and sizes. However, they do all have common traits, including insectoid heads, biomechanical bodies, and a skull gem. History Metal bugs were likely only instituted as an initial, experimental plan to invade Haven City, as it is unlikely they took part in the bigger Metal Head Wars and appeared to be reasonably separate from their parent race. Metal Kaeden's role and origins are unknown; whether or not he was the creator or leader of the race and his previous role within the Metal Head society was never revealed. Metal bugs only made their presence known just before the events of Daxter, Osmo and Taryn calling them "new",''Daxter'' script § "On the streets"''Daxter'' script § "Meeting Taryn" further suggesting that they were merely experimental. Similar to metal heads, metal bugs also infested surrounding locations outside of Haven's walls, either as a means for scouting, residence, or sabotage outside of city limits. They did not make any appearances following the events of Daxter, and presumably went extinct after Kaeden's death. In response to the various extermination companies present in Haven City, of which exterminated pests other than metal bugs, Kaeden disguised himself as a human inspector and began shutting down the companies to help aid the invasion. His means of shutting these companies down remain unknown, though he had told Osmo that if he did not complete more jobs than the company would be his.''Daxter'' script § "Meeting Kaeden" Osmo's company, Kridder Ridder, was the last standing company by the time of Daxter. This is the company that employed Daxter, who proved to be very effective in exterminating metal bugs. While Kaeden ultimately succeeded in destroying Kridder Ridder, he was subsequently killed by Daxter. As a result of Kaeden's failure, Kor disguised himself as a human to gain the trust of young Jak as well as the Underground, leading to the events of Jak II. Overview Characteristics Similar to the Metal Heads, the Metal Bugs have a diverse physiology with many different sizes, capabilities, and appearances. However, they do possess defining traits, such as an insectoid head, organic skin beneath metallic if not mechanical armor, beady yellow eyes, and the presence of a skull gem. Also similar to the Metal Heads is a lack of sapient intelligence. Aside from Kaeden, no metal bugs were known to speak, instead using various grunts, shrills, and growls to communicate or indicate their emotional state. In fact, many of the vocal sounds uttered by bugs sounded quite similar to a metal head (for example, metal backs sound identical to manic heads). Habitat Metal bugs can adapt to any environment, and do not appear to have a natural habitat, aside from possibly the Metal Head nest from whence they may originate. They are seen infesting industrial, dirt-based, and flora-based environments, such as the construction site, strip mine, Breezy Valley, and others. Reproduction Metal bugs have a very odd reproductive system, and unlike metal heads do not come from the typical eggs. Spawners were perhaps the most usual examples, spawning either metal backs or flankers from their purple, bulbous shaped bodies. Drifters were capable of spawning metal bugs asexually, producing either metal backs or more rarely, metal creepers. Additionally, the hive queen at the strip mine had a detachable abdomen that served as an egg sac, capable of producing flankers, metal klaws, and termites. Similarly, the ''Altum sonatur'' queen spawned metal backs from her egg sac that had the appearance of a massive spawner. Types Gallery Note that the images are not to scale. Metal back render.png|Metal back Metal creeper render.png|Metal creeper Slashers render.png|Slashers Flanker render.png|Flanker Metal klaws render.png|Metal klaws Metal slug render.png|Metal slug Hive queen render.png|Breezy Valley hive queen Hive queen from Emerald Isle.png|Emerald Isle hive queen Altum sonatur queen render.png|''Altum sonatur'' hive queen Drifter render.png|Drifter References Category:Organizations Category:Metal Bugs